Frank: 'Minimal cost' to study CSU stadium options

Sent!

A link has been sent to your friend's email address.

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Frank: 'Minimal cost' to study CSU stadium options

Frank's 4 stadium options

CSU President Tony Frank said Thursday, Sept. 25, that he will withdraw his financing request for a new on-campus stadium. He said he wants another two months to explore options, including alternative financing models for either a new on-campus facility or to pay for renovations at Hughes Stadium.

Sponsored by

Matt Stephens/The Coloradoan

Option 1

Maintenance of Hughes Stadium

Frank says that while this is a "legitimate option," it's an option that causes him great concern. The $30 million estimated cost of the renovations would have to come from the university's general fund, according to Frank, because none of the donors that pledged more than $50,000 expressed an interest in donating to Hughes maintenance.

Erin Hull/The Coloradoan

Option 2

Hughes 2050

This option includes the modernization and improvement of Hughes Stadium, so the university can remain there for four more decades. According to Frank, while this would involve additional cost, it would provide for the opportunity for new revenue.

Courtesy of CSU

Option 3

Phase the on-campus stadium project

Build the proposed stadium on campus in phases. Per Frank, the cost would be substantially reduced by the removal of items that CSU would add later, as additional funds become available.

Courtesy of CSU

Option 4

Public-private partnership

Frank's fourth option includes rebidding the existing plan as a public-private partnership, which could involve a number of scenarios. One could be a private entity constructs and maintains the stadium specific to CSU's specifications of multiple decades for annual payments.

Colorado State University President Tony Frank expects costs to analyze at least four options regarding the proposed on-campus football stadium to be limited to employee pay and production of materials for the public.(Photo: Courtesy of CSU)

Colorado State University expects the cost to analyze four newly proposed options to upgrade its football stadium to be limited to employee pay.

President Tony Frank told the Coloradoan by email that members of the CSU facilities staff are salaried and that it's their responsibility to provide data on projects being evaluated by the university.

"I think the costs here are mostly a bit more time and effort of a small group of our talented CSU facilities staff, and this is the sort of work they routinely do on any project before we finalize the direction," he wrote. "This sort of small amount of their time and effort on a major university project (whatever direction it goes) isn't a substantial expenditure in any reasonable sense of that term and it's simply good management in order to provide data to the Board and the public."

He added in another email: "Phrased differently, new hard costs CSU will have to fund on this project are essentially limited to the minimal cost of producing any materials for the public."

Frank announced Thursday, Sept. 25, he would ask the CSU system governing board at its meeting next week to give him an additional two months to study "at least four options" before making a final recommendation on the long-debated project to the board at its December meeting.

He said fundraising to build a $254 million stadium on the southwest side of the university's main campus fell well short of its October goal. About $50 million — less than half of the $110 million goal — has been raised in private donations for an on-campus stadium.

The university already has spent $6.5 million on the project that has polarized the university and area residents since it was first proposed nearly three years ago. Spokesman Mike Hooker said $2.4 million paid for stadium schematics and $4.1 million went to the design process, impact studies and public input — think the Community Design Development Advisory Committee.

Frank said CSU is already well on its way in analysis of the four options.

"Hughes 2050": Under this scenario, CSU would modernize and improve Hughes Stadium so the Rams can remain there four more decades. This would involve additional cost, Frank said, but could generate new revenue. He told the Coloradoan this is a "refresh of previous analysis."

Phased on-campus stadium: CSU would build the proposed stadium in phases which, per Frank, would cut costs significantly. Frank said this option "is a simple effort for our partners at ICON and the Facilities folks to peel pieces off the existing design (so that they can be added back later) to fit a budget."

He thinks work by Denver-based ICON Venue Group, a consulting firm CSU hired to help with such things as design, funding and site analysis, "will be minimal," adding the company is still under contract with CSU.

Public-private partnership: This option includes rebidding the existing on-campus stadium plan as a public-private partnership. This could involve various scenarios, such as a private entity constructing and maintaining the stadium to CSU's specifications in return for multiple decades of annual payments.

Frank said this option is essentially a set of financing changes layered upon the existing plan and most of the work to do will be in packaging material for easy, side-by-side analysis.

Frank doesn't need the Board of Governors' approval to start additional stadium research and said he often evaluates options for the board to consider without its prior approval. Given that one of the challenges of the stadium process has been allegations of about lack of transparency — regardless of efforts CSU has made — Frank said those involved felt that having this discussion in an open forum with public input was the "appropriate call."

And if the board gives CSU the thumbs up?

"Most of the time between now and December, it seems to me, is in discussing (and challenging/validating) the data — something a university does extraordinarily well," Frank said.

Sports reporter Kelly Lyell contributed to this report. Madeline Novey covers education. Reach her at (970) 416-3955; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/madelinenovey; or on Twitter at @MadelineNovey.